Alone Together
by TheUncurableLlama
Summary: Carol and Daryl, the only remaining survivors of Alexandria, must struggle to survive without the others, and cope with the grief of losing everyone. After hearing of a possible safe haven, they are both pushed to the limit, as they try to survive the journey to supposed safety.(Daryl/OC romance subplot) Takes place in the same universe as my other series, Survivor.
1. Among The Dead

Hey guys, I'm really excited to finally make another Walking Dead fanfiction series(especially one featuring my favorite character, Carol)! I case you don't already know, this series takes place in the same universe as Survivor, another of my series(and there may be crossovers from time to time). I'm not sure how long this series will run, but I can confirm that it will end eventually, instead of being a continuous series like Survivor. Without further adieu, I present "Alone Together".

* * *

Carol walked wearily down the dirt road, with Daryl close by her side. She could tell by the look in eyes that nothing would ever be the same. They had lost people before, but never like this. Her and Daryl were the only ones left, and they both knew it. It had been three months since Alexandria fell, and the chances of anyone else having made it out alive were almost none.

Carol's ankles ached excruciatingly, and she was beginning to fall behind, as Daryl walked quickly ahead.

"Daryl...slow down." She said, panting. "I need a break."

"We ain't got time." Said Daryl, without stopping or looking behind.

"Daryl...stop."

Daryl didn't respond, and kept walking. Carol used what strength she had left to run over to him.

"Daryl, stop." She said, grabbing him by the shoulder.

"Fine." Daryl shrugged her hand away, and sat down on a rock.

"We need to find shelter, it's getting dark."

"Gotta keep movin'."

"Daryl, _no._ We've been on the road for weeks. We need to stop eventually, at least for a day or two."

Daryl grunted. Carol wasn't quite sure if that meant a yes or no, nowadays Daryl was more distant than ever. Then again, Carol didn't feel any better. She wasn't quite sure what was driving her(or Daryl) anymore, but either way, she and him had no connection whatsoever anymore. It was like she didn't even exist to him anymore. After all they had done to keep their group safe, it all came to nothing. Glenn. Tara. Abraham. Maggie. Carl. Judith. Sasha. _Rick_. They were all gone, and God knows what happened to the others. To be honest, Carol didn't want to know.

All they did nowadays was run. From walkers. From their sorrows. From death.\ But Carol was tired of running, _they both were_. She knew eventually all the things they'd been running from would catch up to them, and then it'd be over. They'd just be gone, just like the others. Previously, she hadn't seen Daryl cry since Beth died, but after Rick, he just snapped. Stopped talking, stopped thinking straight. She knew it was only a matter of time before he did something stupid. Something that could get them both killed.

* * *

Daryl sat silently on the rock, staring blankly at the ground. He thought about Carl. About a week after Alexandria fell, they found him on a road, but he was different. He was a walker, chewing on what was left of a rabbit's rotting corpse, his blue eyes now turned gray, his hair stained red with blood. When Daryl saw him, he didn't cry. He was too damn stubborn. He simply raised his crossbow, and put him down, just like he had to do to the others. Carol and him buried Carl in the forest, then kept moving. They didn't have any other option.

"Daryl." Said Carol, breaking his dreamy trance of thought.

"What?"

"According to the signs we've seen, there's a city about a mile away from us. We should go there, find some shelter."

Daryl nodded. "Let's get movin'."

Daryl and Carol stood up, and continued walking.

* * *

Somewhere around thirty minutes later, Carol and Daryl arrived at the town. All the buildings were rusty and dirty, most of them ransacked long ago. Supplies(specifically food) were almost impossible to find nowadays, and they hadn't eaten in over two days. Daryl's hunting was their only source of food, and any water they drank came from streams they would occasionally find on the side of the road. Carol scouted the streets, seeing several walkers approaching.

"I got 'em." Said Daryl, running towards the group of about five walkers.

"Daryl, wait!" Yelled Carol, to no avail.

In a fit of rage, Daryl charged headstrong into the walkers, swinging his crossbow into the nearest walker's head. He didn't bother shooting any of them with arrows, instead stabbing them with his knife. More walkers began spilling into the streets, drawn by all the commotion. Carol ran to help him, stabbing a nearby walker just before it could bite into his back. Carol grabbed him, and pulled him away from the walkers.

"Let go of me!" Yelled Daryl, shoving her away. He continued attacking the group of walkers, which now numbered around seven. Carol pulled out her gun, and began shooting. Eventually, all the walkers were dead.

"Daryl, what the hell were you thinking?!" Exclaimed Carol, grabbing him by the arm. "You could've gotten us both killed!"

"I was doin' fine." Grumbled Daryl, grabbing her arm, and shoving it off. Carol let it go, and continued walking.

Eventually, they found a small two-story house. Daryl broke down the back door, and they entered through the backyard. Inside they found a box of stale cereal in the cabinet that hadn't been opened yet, but other than that, nothing useful.

"We should camp here for the night." Suggested Carol. "It's safe enough, the sun's already setting."

Daryl nodded in agreement.

* * *

Five hours later, Daryl lay awake on his sleeping bag, with Carol sleeping nearby. He fell asleep for about an hour, having nightmares about the others. Every time he fell asleep, ever since the others died, he would dream about Rick, being torn apart by walkers, with Judith in his arms, trying to shield her with his body. He'd dream about himself and Carol being separated from Carl, as Alexandria was overrun, only to find him dead later. He'd dream about Sasha, committing suicide by running into the walkers, helping him and Carol escape. He'd dream about Glenn, dying in Maggie's arms after being bit. He'd dream about Maggie, being cornered by walkers, screaming at him and Carol to leave her behind and run.

Daryl stood up, and walked out of the house. He rarely slept nowadays, often times lying in bed until the sun rose. He sat on the front porch, staring into the sky. It was cold outside, but it didn't matter much to him. A walker in the street began stumbling towards him. Instead of fighting it, he simply sat there, letting it get closer and closer. He was tired of running, tired of fighting. He wanted it to end, one way or another.

* * *

Carol awoke from her slumber, thirsty. She grabbed a water bottle from her backpack, which she filled up at a stream recently. After drinking, she noticed that Daryl was missing.

"Daryl?" She called out softly, noticing the front door slightly open. She peeked through it, seeing Daryl standing in the street, unarmed, as a walker approached him. She expected him to attack it, but he didn't. He just stood there, ready to let it bite him. Carol suddenly realized what he was doing: committing suicide.

"DARYL, NO!" She screamed, bolting out of the door towards him. He ignored her, and extended his arm towards the walker carelessly. Carol was too far away to stop the walker before it got to him. She pulled out her handgun, and aimed at the walker's head. She fired, killing the walker. She ran to Daryl in anger, slapping him across the face.

"What the hell, Daryl?!" She yelled angrily.

Daryl shoved her backwards, nearly knocking her to the ground.

"The fuck do ya want from me, Carol?!" Exploded Daryl, his voice quivering. "It ain't fuckin' matter if I die anymore, we ain't got nothin' left!"

Suddenly, Carol lunged at him, and hugged him, wrapping him tightly in her arms.

"It matters to _me_." Pacified Carol, with bleary eyes. "_It always will_."

Daryl and Carol began to cry in each other's arms. All the pain they kept inside finally released, as they embraced each other in the starry night sky. Eventually they let go, and went back inside the house.

* * *

The next day, Daryl awoke to the sound of Carol packing her things. Light shone in through the window, making her hair glow. For the first time since Alexandria fell, he had finally slept without nightmares.

"Hey." Greeted Daryl, rubbing his eyes.

"Hey, you sure slept in today." Noted Carol busily, handing him a bowl of lukewarm cinnamon apple oatmeal.

He ate the oatmeal messily as quickly as possible, and got ready to go hunting. He and Carol had decided to remain at the house for another day, then continue traveling. Soon after, he walked out the door, and prepared to leave into the woods.

"While you're out hunting, I'm gonna search some of the houses for supplies." Announced Carol, to which Daryl responded with a simple nod. Daryl began to walk away, but Carol stopped him.

"And one more thing," Carol kissed him gently on the cheek. "Be careful."

Daryl nodded again, and walked away towards the forest.

* * *

Carol grunted heavily, as she stabbed her knife deep into a nearby walker's skull. She pulled it out, and walked to the door of a small one-story house, to search for supplies. She broke the door down(after a few failed attempts), and walked inside. She noticed supplies lying about, and even some uneaten food. Someone had been there, very recently. Carol cautiously looked around, her back towards the door.

"Don't move." Ordered a voice behind Carol, startling her. Carol slowly turned around, to face a young woman wielding a handgun, which was pointed directly at Carol's head.

"Who are you?" Asked the woman threateningly. A young girl, maybe seven or eight years old, clung to her leg shyly. Carol cautiously set her gun down on the floor, and spoke.

"My name's Carol. I'm not alone, if you-"

"I'm Ellie. What do you want?"

"I'm with my friend, I was just looking for supplies. I don't want any trouble."

Ellie nodded, and lowered her gun slowly. Ellie was a pretty, red-haired woman, with curly hair hanging down to her shoulders. Her hazel eyes studied Carol, deciding whether she was a threat or not.

"Carol...that's a pretty name." Commented the little girl clinging to Ellie's leg. Carol knelt down, and looked at the girl.

"What's your name, sweety?" Asked Carol softly.

"Savannah, but most of my friends call me Anna."

Savannah was a thin brown-haired girl, with her hair woven into a braided ponytail slung over her shoulder. Her wary face was lit up by bright green eyes.

"Do you have any food? I don't usually beg...but me and Anna haven't eaten in days..." Asked Ellie shyly.

"I have some food back at the house me and my friend are staying at...you can come with me if you want." Offered Carol. Ellie and Savannah were the first living people she'd seen since Alexandria fell, and they seemed trustworthy enough.

"Um, yeah. I'd like that."

* * *

Daryl reentered the town just before sunset, with a few squirrels and a rabbit attached to his vest. He walked to the front door of the house, and knocked loudly. Carol opened it, revealing a woman and a little girl inside.

"We have company." Informed Carol. "This is Ellie and Savannah."

"They good people?" Asked Daryl, his intense blue eyes studying them carefully.

"Yeah." Confirmed Carol. "I gave them some food."

"This your daughter?" Asked Daryl to Ellie, looking towards Savannah.

"No, we're not related. She was a part of my old group."

"What happened to 'em?"

"Take a guess."

"Well, if you want to stay with _us_ for a while, you can." Offered Carol. Daryl looked at her and shook his head subtly. Little girl or not, they _just met_ these people. Walkers weren't much of a threat to him and Carol anymore. People were. People were _worse_ than walkers in Daryl's opinion. _People_ were the reason Alexandria fell. _People_ destroyed the prison. _People_ killed Beth. He wasn't willing to take any chances.

"Um...if it's okay with you..." Caved Ellie shyly.

"It is." Added Carol, before Daryl could say otherwise.

"Thank you, so much...I'll set up our sleeping bags upstairs. We'll stay out of your way." Ellie led Savannah upstairs into a bedroom.

Daryl led Carol into the kitchen, out of earshot.

"The hell are you doin'?" He whispered angrily.

"Daryl, these people need our help. I'm not going to turn them away, and I know _you_ don't want to _either_. Just give them a chance."

"Fine, but there ain't no second chances. These people fuck this up, and they're gone."

"Fine."

Daryl, Carol, Ellie, and Savannah ate rabbit and squirrel that night(much to Savannah's dismay), and then went to sleep. Daryl lay awake in a bed upstairs, trying to put his mind to rest. He could hear Ellie and Savannah talking in another room, and instinctively eavesdropped, putting his ear close to the door.

"Ellie...are these people nice?" He overheard Savannah's soft voice inquire.

"I think so, Anna. I think so."

"The big man is kind of scary. I don't like him."

"His name's Daryl. I'm sure you'll get to know him. He looks like a decent enough guy."

"Are we gonna be safe here?"

"Yeah." Replied Ellie, hugging Savannah. "We're gonna be fine. _I'm never gonna let anything happen to you_."

Daryl backed away from the door, and went back to bed. He wasn't quite sure what to make of Ellie and Savannah, but he knew they weren't a threat, and they needed help.

He walked back to the bedroom, and fell carelessly onto the sheets. As he was trying to go to sleep, he spotted a piece of paper taped to a dresser. He picked it up curiously.

"Hello, my name is Topher Grayson, I left this note in case any other survivors found this house. I'm on my way to a community, one I heard about from other survivors. According to them, this place is somewhere away from the mainland, on some sort of island. Supposedly, a ferry takes survivors to the community from a beach nearby. If this place is true, this could be the safe haven I've been searching for. I've included some loose directions on the back of this paper, which will help you find the beach if you choose to. To be honest, I have no idea if this place is real, but if it is, then it could be a chance to finally have a normal life. Sincerely, TG." Read Daryl to himself, decoding the rather messy handwriting. He wasn't sure whether the note was some sort of twisted joke, or a possibility to find a real safe haven, either way, he decided to tell the others about it in the morning.

He lay on his bed, thinking over the events of the day, eventually drifting from consciousness.

-=|To be continued|=-


	2. The Storm

**Author's Note: **Hey guys, I have a couple things to tell you:

1) Thank you for the good reception to my first chapter!

2) I'm splitting my attention between this and Survivor, so take it easy on me if I don't get chapters out quickly.

3) Last chapter I didn't get much reviews, so _please_ at least take the time to rate the chapter on a scale of one to ten, it'd be a huge favor.

4) It would also be great if you guys could give me suggestions if you have any(what to do with the story/characters), although I already have the ending of the series mapped out.

5) If you like this series, I recommend you check out my other series, Survivor.

6) If you're writing a review, It'd be a great favor for me if you could rate the chapter on a scale of 1-10. It helps me determine which chapters were the most favored by readers. If you don't have time for a full review, then you can always simply rate the chapter. I recommend using this format for all chapter reviews.

* * *

FIVE MONTHS BEFORE THE OUTBREAK. Carol watched Sophia's strawberry blonde hair blow in the wind, as they stood at the edge of the pier. Ed was lying on the beach, covered by a towel while resting. This was the first time she'd been to the beach since she married him.

"Mom, why does dad hate me?" Asked Sophia suddenly. Carol was surprised, and had a hard time thinking of a response.

"...Honey, your dad doesn't hate you. He loves you. _We both _love you, it's just...sometimes he gets angry." Explained Carol, although she wasn't sure if she believed it _herself_.

"I know, but...he's _always_ angry."

"I know sweety...I know." Carol gave Sophia a warm hug, kissing her gently on the forehead.

The sun began to set over the pier, weaving a beautiful tapestry of orange and yellow over the sky, casting a majestic hazy golden reflection onto the ocean below, as Carol embraced Sophia softly.

* * *

PRESENT DAY. Carol, Daryl, Ellie, and Savannah trekked through the forest, following the directions on the note Daryl found. Carol wasn't sure if the community was real or a trap of some sort, maybe even some sort of twisted joke, but she and Daryl both knew they had to try. They had to take a risk. After what happened at Terminus long ago, before Alexandria, they were both wary of strangers, but they knew they needed a place to stay. At least for a while.

"I'm hungry, can we take a break?" Complained Savannah.

"Sorry Anna, we don't have time." Replied Ellie. "We'll take a break in a few minutes."

Savannah groaned, and continued walking. Carol trotted over to Daryl, and began to speak with him out of earshot.

"Anna can't keep walking forever. We may need to accept the fact that it's going to take a while to get to the community...if it exists." She muttered quietly.

"We ain't got time. The little girl's not gonna last long out here, she needs somewhere safe."

"Well if she passes out on the side of the road, somehow I get the feeling it won't matter much."

"Fine."

Daryl motioned for Ellie and Savannah to sit down. He remained standing, watching impatiently while they rested. Carol sat on the ground, trying to catch her beath, as she stared into the dark cloudy sky.

"It's gonna rain today." Predicted Carol, pointing at the dark cloud hovering above. Daryl nodded.

"That's an understatement. From the look of those clouds, we may get caught in the middle of a storm." Warned Ellie. "We need to find shelter."

"How can you tell there's a storm coming?" Asked Carol, curiously.

"My mom used to teach me to read the clouds and predict the weather, she was actually pretty good at it. There wasn't a day I can remember from my childhood where she was wrong about the weather."

"Well, at least we'll get some fresh water." Noted Carol.

"I hate storms, they scare me." Added Savannah, looking at the clouds warily.

"Winter's almost here, we need to get to somewhere safe before it arrives." Said Carol. She was tempted to add, "If such a place exists...", but she held her tongue.

Daryl gave his usual nod of agreement, and they eventually got up, and kept moving down the road.

* * *

Three hours later, Daryl and the others came upon a small dirt road branching off from the road, with a small mailbox standing next to it. The sun was beginning to set, not that they could see it through the clouds. It was drizzling gently, but the rain was getting more intense. He could hear thunder in the background, as the darkest of the clouds moved towards them.

"There's a mailbox, which means there's some sort of house of something up the dirt road." Noted Carol. "We should stop here, and wait the storm out inside."

"Yeah, probably a cabin or some shi-" Began Daryl. He remembered that Savannah was too young to hear him talk like that, and cut his sentence short.

"Or some what?" Asked Savannah innocently, making Carol grin.

"C'mon, we're losing daylight." Advised Ellie, changing the subject intentionally.

Daryl, Carol, Ellie, and Savannah walked quickly down the dirt road, seeing a small cabin shortly ahead.

"This'll do." Remarked Daryl, as they reached the door of the autumn brown log cabin, with a worn American flag posted on the roof, blowing furiously in the wind.

The door was easily opened by Daryl, who kicked it open with little effort. Inside lay some furniture, a small bathroom, and a fireplace, with the ashes of a log burned long ago inside. There was a small bedroom as well, with a small bed tucked into a corner.

Daryl, Carol, and Ellie quickly checked the rooms, finding no walkers, and very little supplies.

"Looks like somebody's already looted the place." Observed Daryl, as he and the others began to focus on starting a fire in the fireplace. They had found some firewood stored in a closet, along with matches, and a note attached to them.

"In case anyone else finds this place, take this, I won't be needing it anymore." Said the note.

"Wonder why someone would someone would just give away wood and matches like this..." Said Daryl, as he struggled to light the fire, which proved difficult without tinder to help light it.

"One second, I have something that'll help us." Sais Ellie, pulling a pack of pencils out of her backpack.

"Pencils?" Asked Daryl, confused.

"Pencil shavings make great tinder." Explained Ellie, sharpening the pencils, and dumping the shavings into the fireplace.

"Smart." Commented Carol, as the fire was quickly lit by Daryl. Daryl wasn't really sure what to think of Ellie, she seemed like a good person. But at the same time, it wasn't easy to tell nowadays. She was smart, that much was obvious.

* * *

After eating dinner, Carol and the others sat by the fire, the sparks flickering in the shadows. The dim light illuminated their faces in the dark, as they sat quietly, enjoying the heat. They could hear booming thunder echoeing outside, and heavy rain was pouring down, which they had set up buckets to collect.

"You think the storm'll settle soon?" Asked Ellie.

"Doubt it, pro'lly gonna get a whole lot worse 'fore it gets better." Replied Daryl honestly.

"_It's so loud_." Commented Savannah.

"At least we'll have plenty of water in the morning." Said Carol, looking out the window warily. She could tell that the storm was getting worse, and the wind was getting louder and stronger. There was a good chance the bucket's they'd set up to collect water had fallen over already.

Suddenly, the door, having been only held shut by some rope applied by Daryl, burst open from the force of the wind, sending leaves and dirt flying into the cabin. Savannah screamed. Daryl covered his eyes in the face of the wind, and forced the door shut again, this time tying it shut tighter.

"Anna, you need to get some sleep, it's gonna be a long night." Ordered Ellie, carrying Savannah into the bedroom. Savannah held to her tightly, frightened by the noises outside the cabin.

"Y' _both_ should." Advised Daryl. "I'll keep watch."

"Even if I _could_ go to sleep with all this noise, I'm not really tired anyways." Said Ellie, after placing Savannah in the bed. "Carol, you should at least _try_ to sleep."

At first Carol wanted to say no, but even with all the noise, she was tired. Really tired.

"Yeah." She said, setting up a sleeping bag on the ground next to Savannah in the other room, leaving Daryl and Ellie alone by the fire.

* * *

Daryl fiddled with his knife awkwardly, as he and Ellie sat by the fire in silence, about an hour after Carol and Savannah went to sleep. The storm had calmed down a little, and Daryl could hear faint snoring from the bedroom. Around other people silence never made him uncomfortable, but something about Ellie made him somewhat awkward. Maybe it was the fact that he didn't fully trust her yet. Maybe something else. Either way, he decided to break the awkward silence.

"What'd you do? You know, before the walkers came?" Asked Daryl eventually. Ellie turned and faced him, seemingly surprised that he talked.

"Um, well...nothing, really. I was pretty messed up at the time, didn't have a job. My parents kicked me out of the house a while after I started drinking. Eventually I got into the heavier stuff, heroin to be specific. After that, things fell apart. Some of my friends would take me in occasionally, but I drifted in and out of jail for the most part. I was a typical junkie." Replied Ellie, staring into the fire, avoiding eye contact for one reason or the other. "After the outbreak, it wasn't exactly all that _easy_ to get my hands on the stuff...so I went clean. It was hard for the first few weeks, I couldn't even sleep. A group took me in, and I eventually got better. That's where I met Anna."

Daryl grunted, and continued staring into the fire.

"What happened to her parents?" He asked.

"Same thing that happened to the others in our group. Anna was really young when it happened, she barely remembers it. I've been taking care of her ever since." She replied vaguely.

Daryl nodded, as awkward silence began to set in again. Suddenly, Ellie spoke up again.

"You don't trust me, do you?" The boldness of her question surprised Daryl.

"Nah, that ain't it."

"Then what is it?"

"We just met ya, it ain't easy to trust new people."

"So...you _don't_ trust me?"

"Guess not." Daryl could tell Ellie understood. She took a few seconds to respond, now making direct eye contact with Daryl.

"You know, things aren't as complicated as you make them out to be."

"How so?"

"Some things are more simple than you think."

"Like what?" Daryl was slightly confused.

"Like this." Replied Ellie softly, grabbing Daryl by the vest, and pulling him into a kiss. It was unexpected, but he didn't pull away. He didn't want to. Ellie's soft lips pressed roughly against his, as she grasped the back of his head, pulling him close. He hadn't kissed anyone since before the outbreak, and he was never really interested afterwards. Ellie pulled away.

"See you tomorrow." She said, standing up, and walking into the bedroom with Carol and Savannah, leaving Daryl alone. Daryl could no longer hear the rain or thunder outside, but still decided to stay by the fire a while longer, trying to gather his thoughts, his deep blue eyes shimering in the dying firelight.

* * *

Carol awoke the next day early in the morning as usual, having gone to sleep late the previous night, kept awake by the noise of the storm. She arose to see Daryl asleep by the embers of the fire, lying lazily on the floor. She decided not to wake him. Savannah and Ellie were still asleep.

She walked outside, to find debris everywhere, scattered by the storm. The buckets they had set up earlier were tumbled over, some completely missing. The misty morning chill enshrouded her, as she surveyed the area groggily. She rubbed her eyes, yawned, and crossed her arms to remain warm.

"Hey." Greeted Daryl from behind, startling her.

"Hey." She replied with a bright smile.

"Looks like the stormed fucked this place up pretty bad."

"Looks like."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure.

"Ellie. You trust her?" She asked, turning towards him.

"Yeah. I do."


	3. Midnight City

Daryl sat alone atop his house's roof, listening to the commotion inside. His father was angry and drunk as usual, and he could hear Merle yelling, along with quite a bit of crashing. He ran out of the house to get away from all the fighting, but even on the roof he couldn't escape it.

He could hear coyotes howling in the forest nearby, as the moon shone brightly overhead. Eventually things quieted, and he assumed his father had passed out on the couch or something similar. Merle had gotten into trouble with the police again, and Daryl knew it was only a matter of time before he went to Juvenile Hall.

Once that happened, Daryl would be alone. Stuck in the house for the rest of his childhood, without his brother. For the first time in years, Daryl began to cry, silently at first, then in anguished sobbing. He was only eight years old, but even then, he wasn't used to crying. However, this was an exception. He was going to be alone, quite possibly forever.

* * *

Carol rubbed her aching knees gently, as she and the others set up their sleeping bags inside the large building which towered over the rest of the city they were staying in. The city was a large metropolis, filled with large towers like the one they'd set camp in. It was likely that the entire city had already been looted, but they needed a place to rest, and this was the first town they'd come across in over two days. Daryl estimated that they had at least two weeks of walking at a fast pace in order to reach Lyndenville, the ity the note Daryl found directed them to. The directions on the note were unspecific and simple, which made things all the more difficult. She was skeptical at best of the idea of some sort of "island utopia", but at least they now had a goal to accomplish; a reason to keep going.

They were camping on the ninth floor, one of fifteen overall, in a large office. The first snow of winter had already begun to fall, and it was getting colder with each day. They had managed to find some thin jackets for each of them, but other than that, they had no protection against the cold. Luckily, in a large city like the one they'd found, jackets would be easy to find, they hoped. Then again, just about everything they did nowadays was based on hope. The question constantly lingered in Carol's head: what happens when hope runs out?

Once everything was set up, the sun had already gone down. It got dark late, yet quickly, leaving Carol, Daryl, Ellie, and Savannah alone in the darkness inside their sleeping bags. There hadn't been much conversation since they reached the tower, and Carol drifted asleep over the course of about an hour.

About three hours later, she woke again. Her sleeping bag had quite a bit of holes in it, and the freezing cold was beginning to slip through. She sat up, and got dressed in a jacket and two pairs of pants. After settling back into her sleeping bag, she found herself unable to fall asleep.

Eventually she decided to take a walk to the top of the tower. Using the rusted steps, she reached the top of the building, and walked to the edge. It was at least seventy feet to the ground, and Carol shuddered at the thought of falling. She leaned on the guard rail, looking up into the sky. Nights like this often were cloudless and full of stars, and this was no exception. The sky was lit up by bright stars as far as the eye could see, and Carol was deep in thought.

It had been a long time since she'd thought of her life before the outbreak, but something about the midnight city skyline put her in a dreamy trance of thought. She began to think about Sophia, about Ed, and about the first days of the outbreak, all those years ago, when she first met Rick.

Everything before the outbreak seemed like a past life to her, like some sort of dream. Some days she'd forget that it ever happened. It felt like she'd been living in the apocalypse her entire life, and her life before was all just a fantasy of her mind.

Looking down, she saw the shadowy figures of walkers wandering in the dark, like ghosts of some sort, reminders of a world long forgotten. The thin patches of snow on the ground glistened in the moonlight.

Carol began to notice one shadowy object in particular, who was running its way into a nearby outlet. A survivor. Carol ran down the building stairs as quickly as she could, entering the room housing the others about three minutes later.

She gently awoke Daryl, signaling him to be quiet(she decided it was best he didn't wake Ellie and Savannah).

"There's somebody else in the city...a survivor." She whispered softly.

"Hm?" Grunted Daryl, opening his eyes suddenly.

"I saw somebody outside, they ran into a building a little down the street."

Daryl grabbed his crossbow, and followed her down to the bottom of the tower.

* * *

Daryl's grip on his crossbow was tight and alert, as he and Carol carefully ventured towards the building which the shadowy survivor had gone into. They had encountered bad people in the past. Very bad people. They knew better than to ignore unknown survivors, they were going to meet this survivor on _their_ terms.

Avoiding the nearby walkers stealthily, they crept to the entrance of the clothing outlet, and Daryl looked in cautiously. Suddenly, a soft noise behind them broke the sound of walkers moaning. The distinct sound of a gun being readied to shoot.

"Don't move," Whispered a feminine voice behind them sternly. "Guns on the ground."

Daryl and Carol slowly turned around, setting their weapons down reluctantly. They stood face-to-face with a young woman around Ellie's age, with prominent cheekbones and a petite, skinny body. Her long pigtail-styled hair appeared to be blonde, but in the darkness it was hard to distinguish. The woman moved closer, stepping out of the shadow of a nearby building, revealing her dark brown eyes.

"The fuck are you following me for?!" Questioned the woman in a harsh whisper.

Daryl was ready to explain, but Carol cut him off.

"I saw you running in the streets," Explained Carol, warily eyeing the woman's hunting rifle, "We went to investigate...we havent seen any survivors in quite a while."

"That so?" Questioned the woman, "You got anyone else in your group?"

"Does it matter?" Retorted Daryl gruffly.

"Does to me." Answered the woman, shifting her gun away from Carol's chest, and instead at Daryl's.

Before Daryl could respond, Carol cut him off, a habit of hers.

"You'll find out how many others we have _the hard way_ if you don't lower that rifle." Threatened Carol.

"Mhm..." Dismissed the woman, now starting to be noticed by the walkers in the street, "We don't have much time, so quit bullshitting me, and tell me how many others are out there."

"None." Answered Daryl. One of the few times he _didn't_ do a good job at telling a lie.

"Bullshit." The woman raised her gun to Daryl's head.

"Two." Corrected Carol.

"This true?" Asked the woman to Daryl.

"Yeah."

"Prove it. Show me your group."

"Hell no."

The woman tightened her grip on her rifle.

"_I'm not asking_."

* * *

Carol and Daryl led the woman into a nearby house, pretending it was their group's camp. They led the woman into the living room with deceptive confidence, Daryl slowly getting closer to her. The woman entered the room, seeing nothing but furniture.

"The fuck?" She exclaimed, "There's nobody here! I'm not playing fucking games!"

Daryl suddenly lunged into the woman, slamming her against the wall. The hunting rifle fell to the ground, Carol retrieving it quickly, and aiming it at the woman's face. Daryl released the woman, who now stood glaring at Carol.

"So what now?" Asked the woman angrily, "You gonna kill me?"

"Depends." Replied Carol coldly, "Either way, _we're_ asking the questions now."

"Fine by me, I got nothing to hide."

"Who are you?" Asked Daryl.

"Name's Phyllis...not that you actually care anyways." The woman glared at Daryl.

* * *

TWO DAYS LATER.

Daryl walked through the forest, two dead squirrels strapped to his vest. He was used to finding more than two squirrels on his hunts, but it would have to do for now. He and the others had decided to stay in the city a little while longer, before pushing straight through to the supposed community waiting for them down the road.

Shortly after entering the outskirts of the city, Daryl arrived back at the tower, and made his way to the ninth floor. Meeting the others inside, he set his loot on the ground in front of them.

"I heard you we're a good hunter...but _damn_." Commented Phyllis.

"You ain't seen nothin' yet." Remarked Daryl, setting his crossbow down on a desk.

It had been two days since he and Carol first met Phyllis, and he still had trouble trusting her. After everything other people had put him and Carol through, he thought it too big a risk to allow Phyllis to stay. Carol disagreed. He had to admit, Phyllis was a great asset. She was proficient with a gun, and knew the area well.

"Ew," Said Savannah, sticking her tongue out at the sight of the dead squirrels, "Gross."

"It's getting colder out, harder to hunt nowadays." Noted Daryl, relaxing on an office chair.

"Snow's already beginning to fall," Said Ellie, "We'll be in a bad situation if we don't find somewhere safe _quick_."

"I say we start moving tomorrow," Suggested Phyllis, "Walk 'till sunset, find somewhere to stay the night, then keep moving the next day."

"Sounds like a plan." Agreed Ellie.

"We might be able to boil some of this snow into water," Said Carol, looking out the window, "That'll come in handy."

"I'll get some firewood," Announced Ellie, "We're gonna need some later tonight."

"I'll come with you." Said Daryl, rising from a office desk.

Ellie nodded, and led Daryl out of the building, leaving Carol, Phyllis, and Savannah alone.

* * *

Carol, Savannah, and Phyllis sat awkwardly in office chairs, Savannah spinning around in hers playfully. Carol mistrusted Phyllis, but she was willing to give her a chance. Daryl certainly wouldn't. She did her best to keep Phyllis away from Savannah in case she tried to harm anyone, but things seemed to be settling down.

Carol had asked Phyllis if she'd seen or heard of a community in the area, but Phyllis said she hadn't gone much farther in the direction of the supposed community, so she wouldn't know. After a few moments of silence, Phyllis spoke up.

"So, Carol, where'd you work before the outbreak?" She asked. She'd become much friendly since they first met, and seemed to be more comfortable around them now.

"Well, I didn't work, my husband took care of that for me." Replied Carol, arousing Savannah's interest.

"Did you have any kids?" Asked Savannah curiously.

Carol paused. Nobody, not even Daryl, had mentioned Sophia in years. Sophia was only alive in her thoughts, and it made her uncomfortable to talk about her.

"Um, yes, I did." Answered Carol, doing her best to be nonchalant.

"How many?" Asked Savannah, "Did you have any girls? What were their names? Wh-"

Carol was overloaded with questions. She didn't want to talk at the moment, but especially about Sophia.

"I'd prefer not to talk about that." Said Carol, cutting Savannah off.

"Why?" Asked Savannah, pushing her a bit too far.

"Stop." Snapped Carol coldly, rising up out of her seat, "I said I don't want to talk about it."

Carol walked out of the room, leaving Savannah confused and embarrassed.

* * *

Daryl and Ellie searched the nearest warehouse, finding shelves of wood and other flammable items. He was mostly silent, stuffing small planks of wood into his vest and arms.

"So, what's your story?" Asked Ellie, reached up to grab a plank about the size of her arm off one of the shelves.

"Hm?" Grunted Daryl.

"Everyone has a story," Explained Ellie, "What's yours?"

Ellie turned to face him.

"Same as anyone else."

"_Come on_ Daryl. I've been with you for a while, and I barely know anything about you."

He didn't respond.

"Fine, I'll go first." Said Ellie with a sigh, "I was a junkie before the outbreak, met a group a little while after, they helped me go clean. I met Savannah there, me and her traveled alone after the others died, you already know that. Your turn."

Finally, Daryl spoke up.

"I was a typical redneck before shit hit the fan, same as now. Dad was an asshole, brother wasn't much different. After shit went down me and my brother were alone for a while, we met a group. 's where I met Carol. We stayed with them for a while...but it didn't work out."

"Oh...Im sorry. Your brother- what happened to him?"

"Same thing that happens to everyone else."

Ellie was silent. They both knew what he meant, that was how the world was nowadays. If someone isn't with you, they're dead.

* * *

Carol sat by herself by a broken water fountain in the hallway of the building, thinking to herself. She didn't mean to snap at Savannah, it just happened. She knew feeling guilty wouldn't do her any good, but that certainly didn't make her feel better.

"Hey." Greeted Phyllis, approaching Carol, and sitting down beside her.

Carol didn't know what to say, so she said nothing.

"I know you didn't mean to snap at Anna," Said Phyllis, "I get it. Something bad happened in the past, we're all the same boat."

Carol nodded.

"You want to talk about it?" Asked Phyllis. Carol didn't respond at first, but eventually spoke up.

"Her name was Sophia...my daughter. She died earlier after the outbreak. Daryl did more for her than my husband ever did. If I had taught her to be strong...if I had protected her-"

Carol lingered, and cut herself off.

"Trust me, I get it." Said Phyllis, "I've made mistake too...to say the least. When the outbreak first hit, I was scared. I was ruthless. I hurt others to survive, and that haunts me to this day. It took time, and a lot of pain, but I changed. I adapted, and you did too. Don't beat yourself up about it. I'm sure Sophia in the sky somewhere, smiling down at you."

"Maybe." Said Carol, "...thanks."

"No problem."

* * *

**Author's Note: **

Hey guys, a few things to tell you:

1) I am _so_ sorry for posting this chapter so late, I've been busy with a lot of other things lately, and I went on a 10-day trip to Navajo.

2) In case you're wondering, the Phyllis in the chapter is the same Phyllis from chapters 5 &amp; 6 of Survivor, my other series. Phyllis 'hurting others to survive' was a reference to her actions in Survivor. This series takes place long after the current timeline in Survivor, and there may be future crossovers.

3) Review whenever you can, or at least rate the chapter on a scale of 1-10, it really helps!

4) This series is temporary, and will probably run for about 5-7 Chapters. However, I have a sequel planned, which will be ongoing.


	4. Dangerous Road

**Author's Note: **Hey guys, sorry it took so long to post this chapter, I've been doing quite a few other things on fanfic, including starting and managing my own roleplay forum(Survivor: Author's Arena). Also, good news; I've done some thinking regarding the ending of Alone Together, and I've decided to extend the series' run. I'm not sure how many chapters it'll be, but it'll certainly be longer than the original 6 planned chapters. I've been considering expanding my writing into normal fiction, so I've been writing some fiction lately.

* * *

MONTHS AFTER THE OUTBREAK.

Daryl's mind was racing. After everything he'd done to find her, Carol's daughter was dead. Sophia was dead. He sat by himself on the edge of the farmhouse, thinking. What was the point?

Searching the forest. Painting signs for Sophia to read on the highway. Searching the nearby houses. Taking an _arrow_ to the leg. Falling down a ravine. None of it mattered anymore, not after what happened.

Even more, he was _furious,_ not to mention _confused._ What did Carol do to deserve the death of her daughter? He could only imagine how she felt. He wasn't quite sure why, but he had grown a connection with her, one that even _he_ didn't understand. It wasn't fair, and that bothered him more than anything else.

He was used to having control. To controlling the factors in his life, and being free of responsibility or cares. Over the past months he'd slowly lost control over his life. Control of anything. To add to his distress, his brother was gone, quite possibly dead. And yet somehow, Carol was the one who occupied his thoughts. The middle-aged woman with the dead daughter.

* * *

PRESENT DAY.

Carol's eyes fluttered open, having been awoken by Phyllis's touch. She sat up on the couch, rubbing her eyes.

"Time to get up?" she asked, turning to her, as she stood over her.

"Yeah," replied Phyllis, "Daryl's out hunting with Ellie, she wanted you to keep an eye on Savannah for her."

"He's hunting with _Ellie_?"

"Guess so, something wrong?"

"No, he just usually hunts alone. Does Ellie _know_ how to hunt?"

"Don't look at _me_," replied Phyllis, walking away, "I'm just the messenger."

Carol sighed, finally arising from the couch. She was unusually tired, regardless of her age. She'd completely forgotten how old she was over the past years, although her grayed hair served as a constant reminder of how long it had been.

Standing up, she walked to the room where she assumed Savannah was sleeping. However, upon entering, she found her wide awake. Anna was sitting against the wall on a backrest, reading a wide-paged children's book.

"Oh, hi," greeted Anna, raising her head to look at Carol, "Mrs. Peletier."

"Hi," replied Carol awkwardly, "What're you doing up so early?"

It had been quite a while since she'd been alone with a girl of Sophia's age, and conversing with her was almost surreal. She was awkward, unsure of how to act. She was used to people like Daryl - People like her. Despite all that'd happened, Anna had an innocence to her, one that Carol wasn't used to.

"I was just reading."

"Ellie's out with Daryl, if you need anything, ask me."

Anna nodded, and continued reading. It was clear to see. Carol intimidated her.

Carol couldn't think of anything else to say, and instead left the room.

* * *

Daryl ran his fingers through Ellie's hair, enjoying her warmth. Together they lay on the decayed mattress, in a tangled mess of limbs. He wasn't quite sure how things between she and him started, or even _when_, but he wasn't sure how he felt about it. One minute they were friends, the next they were in bed. He hadn't told Carol, and certainly didn't plan on it. She didn't need to know. It had been years since he'd been with a woman, but Ellie had a way of making it feel normal.

He wasn't exactly sure what they were. There wasn't much intimacy between them, it was mostly just sex. He liked it that way, he didn't really need anything more.

"We should get goin'," he said, sitting up in bed, "Carol's gonna be wonderin' where we're at."

"What are you going to tell her?" asked Ellie.

"Nothin'."

"She's gonna find out eventually, Daryl."

"Maybe."

He and she got dressed, walking out of the decayed house they'd been in for the past few hours. There were walkers in the street, but they didn't bother putting any of the down. Nowadays the walkers were so decayed they could barely walk.

Entering the house where the others were, Daryl took off his vest, and set it down on a couch.

"You guys catch anything?" asked Phyllis.

"Nah," replied Daryl, vaguely.

"You guys down to keep moving today?"

"Ain't got a choice."

"I'll get packed."

* * *

Carol's aching knees served as a reminder of her age, as she walked with the others down the road. Walking along endless roads seemed to be a habit for them, one that she hoped to one day end. She was tired of walking.

Daryl was like a machine, walking at a steady pace nonstop. He and Ellie seemed to be walking closer to each other than usual. Savannah was in the back, her short legs working to keep up. Having been meaning to talk to her when the opportunity presented itself, Carol dropped back to talk to Savannah.

"So, Savannah," started Carol, "How old are you?"

"Nine," she answered awkwardly, "...I think. That's what Ellie tells me."

"What's that in your hand?" Carol pointed to the small stuffed giraffe in Anna's hand.

"Her name's Carly."

"Nice to meet you, Carly." Carol pretended to talk to the dirty giraffe. No response, interestingly enough.

"She's a bit shy."

* * *

Daryl's calves were sore as usual, as he and the others came upon a minivan in the middle of a rest stop parking lot. Deeming it worth a try, he found the passenger window rolled down just enough for him to squeeze his arm through and unlock the door. His brother had vaguely taught him how to hotwire a car before the outbreak, and others had solidified this knowledge afterwards. The car had apparently belonged to survivors sometime after everything happened, but it was clear that they were long gone.

For the first time in quite a while, they had a vehicle. A dusty, rusted van with chipped red paint, but a vehicle nonetheless.

Ellie drove, while Daryl sat shotgun, having an oddly difficult time keeping his eyes off her. It was odd, being attracted to someone, after so long of merely keeping himself alive. She occupied his thoughts more than he was comfortable with, and the thought of her beneath him, autumn red hair sprawled out on the bed, made it difficult not to sneak glances.

* * *

Ellie's hazel-colored eyes stayed focused on the road, her thoughts keeping her occupied. Their search for the possible refuge down the road. Savannah's ever-growing maturity and need to be protected. And above most, Daryl. He was an interesting character to say the least. He wasn't exactly one to show feelings, and despite having traveled with him for over a week, she barely knew anything about him. Then again, could you truly know _anyone_ nowadays?

Suddenly, a large semi-truck parked across the road caught her eye. She was forced to stop, blocked by the large vehicle. It was a relatively desolate road, and the truck had obviously been parked this way on purpose.

"What do we do?" She asked, turning to Daryl.

"Let's check things out, there might be an easy way to move it." Commented Carol from behind her.

"Look, there's people in the forest!" Savannah exclaimed from the middle backseat, pointing out the window.

"Guys," Phyllis said, removing her knife from its sheath, "We may have a problem."

Looking to the side, Ellie could see several men approaching from the passenger side window. They began to surround the van, wielding an array of weapons.

"Ellie...back up. Now." Daryl ordered lowly, reaching for his pistol.

Ellie began to drive away, but one of the men fired a shot through one of the front tires, stopping their escape. The car was able to skid further, but one of the men had already reached the passenger window, pointing a gun through the glass directly at Daryl.

"So," the man jested as Daryl rolled the window down, "Where ya headed?"

* * *

**Author's Note: **I ought to be updating more often from now on, sorry for the long wait! Reviews always help.


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